The Carnival: Choreographer's Ball show is the longest running dance show in

Southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. It includes the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the second most po ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

, and a popular monthly showcase of the top/elite

choreographers Choreography is the art or practice of designing sequences of movements of physical bodies (or their depictions) in which motion or form or both are specified. ''Choreography'' may also refer to the design itself. A choreographer is one who c ...

in the world (

video Video is an electronic medium for the recording, copying, playback, broadcasting, and display of moving visual media. Video was first developed for mechanical television systems, which were quickly replaced by cathode-ray tube (CRT) syste ...

music Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspect ...

, and

film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

). The show is run in

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...

, with satellite choreographer's balls in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, and

Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...

. The show is considered the dance community's ultimate competitive venue for choreographers to perform or display their work.

Origin

The show was created by

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

choreographers' Carey Ysais and Paulette Azizian in 1998 to give working choreographers and

dancers Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoire ...

a venue where they could have free

artistic expression Art is a diverse range of human activity, and resulting product, that involves creative or imaginative talent expressive of technical proficiency, beauty, emotional power, or conceptual ideas. There is no generally agreed definition of what ...

without the constraints of an

artist An artist is a person engaged in an activity related to creating art, practicing the arts, or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse refers to a practitioner in the visual arts only. However, th ...

, a

director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''Di ...

, or a

script Script may refer to: Writing systems * Script, a distinctive writing system, based on a repertoire of specific elements or symbols, or that repertoire * Script (styles of handwriting) ** Script typeface, a typeface with characteristics of handw ...

. Ysais modeled the show after a similar choreographer showcase that had run at

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...

's Glam Slam nightclub in Los Angeles in the 1990s. The first venue was at the Key Club on the Sunset Strip, and was promoted in partnership with DMK Entertainment.

Shows and Performance Types

In order to be on the show, choreographers have to submit video tapes of their work in advance and/or audition, with established and elite choreographers given free access. Performances include

street dance Street dance is an umbrella term for a large number of social dance styles such as: breakdancing, popping, locking, house dance, waacking etc. Social dance styles have many accompanying steps and foundations, created organically from a culture, ...

popping Popping is a street dance adapted out of the earlier Boogaloo (funk dance) cultural movement in Oakland, California. As Boogaloo spread, it would be referred to as Robottin in Richmond, California, Strutting movements in San Francisco and San ...

funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...

, hip hop, tap dancing,

modern Modern may refer to: History * Modern history ** Early Modern period ** Late Modern period *** 18th century *** 19th century *** 20th century ** Contemporary history * Moderns, a faction of Freemasonry that existed in the 18th century Phil ...

ballet Ballet () is a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread and highly technical form of ...

, lyrical dance,

spoken word Spoken word refers to an oral poetic performance art that is based mainly on the poem as well as the performer's aesthetic qualities. It is a late 20th century continuation of an ancient oral artistic tradition that focuses on the aesthetics of ...

, and

performance art Performance art is an artwork or art exhibition created through actions executed by the artist or other participants. It may be witnessed live or through documentation, spontaneously developed or written, and is traditionally presented to a pu ...

. Each show has up to 14 choreographers and/or their dancers who are given up to "five minutes of freedom" to work artistically and perform before their peers. Each performance (i.e., "piece") in the show is similar to a mini-musical, with an overall theme, props, costumes, and dance styles. Virtually any kind of dance music might be played or various music styles combined. However, many pieces are known for being edgy and provocative. Some choreographers use the show for dance experimentation. The first show of the year is usually an anniversary show, the latest 'The Carnival: Choreographer's Ball 14th Anniversary Show," where the dance community celebrates the year in review. Choreographer awards and/or tributes are presented to their peers, or a person or group is recognized for outstanding achievement in the field of dance or choreography, including Lifetime Achievement Awards.

Success

Talent agents for movie, music, and television productions regularly attend The Carnival: Choreographer's Ball shows searching for talent. Many dancers get industry work after performing at the show. It is estimated that up to "30 percent of participating dancers get bookings" as a result of being in a Choreographer Ball show. The show often includes special guests and appearances by many of the top

and

including

Paula Abdul Paula Julie Abdul (born June 19, 1962) is an American singer, dancer, choreographer, actress, and television personality. She began her career as a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers at the age of 18 and later became the head choreograph ...

, Travis Payne,

Kenny Ortega Kenneth John Ortega (born April 18, 1950) is an American filmmaker, touring manager, and choreographer. He is known for directing the films '' Newsies'', '' Hocus Pocus'', ''The Cheetah Girls 2'', ''High School Musical'', ''Michael Jackson's Th ...

, and Wade Robson. The audience is usually populated with many of the top

songwriter A songwriter is a musician who professionally composes musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music gen ...

s and musical acts in the entertainment business. Regular

hosts A host is a person responsible for guests at an event or for providing hospitality during it. Host may also refer to: Places *Host, Pennsylvania, a village in Berks County People *Jim Host (born 1937), American businessman *Michel Host ( ...

include: * Lisa Joann Thompson ( In Living Color,

Fame L.A. ''Fame L.A.'' is an American drama series that aired in syndication from 1997 to 1998. It told the story of a drama/dance school in Los Angeles where students honed their talents while overcoming various personal problems. It starred Heidi Noe ...

, & Motown Live) *

Affion Crockett Affion Crockett (born August 12, 1974) is an American actor and comedian. Early life Crockett was raised in Germany and Fayetteville, North Carolina. Career Crockett appeared in HBO's ''Def Comedy Jam'' in 1996, demonstrating his impression ...

(

Def Comedy Jam ''Def Comedy Jam'' is an HBO television series produced by Russell Simmons. The series had its original run from March 7, 1992 to May 2, 1997. Simmons was inspired to make Def Comedy Jam by The Uptown Comedy Club in Harlem, New York and Jerry Le ...

NYPD Blue ''NYPD Blue'' is an American police procedural television series set in New York City, exploring the struggles of the fictional 15th Precinct detective squad in Manhattan. Each episode typically intertwines several plots involving an ensemble c ...

, Dance Flick, &

In the Flow with Affion Crockett ''In the Flow with Affion Crockett'' is a sketch comedy television series starring Affion Crockett and produced by Jamie Foxx, ''MADtv ''Mad TV'' (stylized as ''MADtv'') is an American sketch comedy television series originally inspired by ' ...

) * Carey Ysais, Director/choreographer and founder of The Carnival: Choreographer's Ball

Anniversary Shows and Achievement Awards

The following gala award shows were celebrated by the dance community where awards and/or tributes were given to their peers for excellence or outstanding achievement in the field of choreography. *14th Anniversary Show - On January 30, 2013, The Carnival: Choreographer's Ball celebrated their 14th anniversary. At the show,

was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award. *13th Anniversary Show - On January 25, 2012, The Carnival: Choreographer's Ball celebrated their 13th anniversary. At the show,

The Electric Boogaloos The Electric Boogaloos are a street dance crew responsible for the spread of popping and electric boogaloo. The name "Boogaloo" came from a song called "Do a Boogaloo" by James Brown, which was also adapted as a Boogaloo street dance done from Oak ...

were honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award for their role in popularizing dance styles such as

, locking, and

electric boogie "Electric Boogie" (also known as the "Electric Slide") is a dance song written and originally recorded in 1976 with Bunny Wailer. History It is strongly associated with the "Electric Slide" line dance and has since become a celebratory staple. Th ...

. The award was presented to them by choreographer and dancer

Toni Basil Antonia Christina Basilotta (born September 22, 1943), better known by her stage name Toni Basil, is an American singer, choreographer, dancer, actress, and director. Her song "Mickey" topped the charts in the US, Canada and Australia and hit th ...

. *12th Anniversary Show - On January 26, 2011, The Carnival: Choreographer's Ball celebrated their 12th anniversary. At the show, Travis Payne was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award to a star-studded audience including the dance judges from the television shows So You Think You Can Dance, MTV's

America's Best Dance Crew ''America's Best Dance Crew'', often abbreviated as ''ABDC'', was an American competitive dance reality television series that features both national and international dance crews. The show was produced by singer, record producer, and former ''Am ...

, and many well known choreographers such as Kenny Ortega, Derrick Hough, Chris Judd, Jon M. Chu, Harry Shum, Toni Basil, etc. *11th Anniversary Show - On January 2, 2010, The Carnival: Choreographer's Ball celebrated their 11th anniversary. At the show, choreography agent Julie McDonald was honored for being a pioneer of dance representation and a friend, helper, and agent to many choreographers for over 25 years. The award was presented to her by Tony Selznick, Robin Antin, and one of her first clients,

. *10th Anniversary Show - On February 4, 2009, The Carnival: Choreographer's Ball celebrated their 10th anniversary. At the show,

Debbie Allen Deborah Kaye Allen (born January 16, 1950) is an American actress, dancer, choreographer, singer-songwriter, director, producer, and a former member of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities. She has been nominated 20 times for an ...

was honored for her contributions to dance and was presented a Lifetime Achievement Award by Nia Peeples. *9th Anniversary Show - On January 30, 2008, The Carnival: Choreographer's Ball celebrated their 9th anniversary. At the show, director-choreographer

Adam Shankman Adam Michael Shankman (born November 27, 1964) is an American film director, producer, writer, dancer, author, actor, and choreographer. He was a permanent judge on season 6–7 of the television program ''So You Think You Can Dance''. He began h ...

was given a tribute and honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by

References

{{reflist Carnival: Choreographer's Ball

Carnival Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival typi ...

Dance in California Festivals in Los Angeles Arts festivals in California